--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Usually when I'm trying to establish…" description: "\"Usually when I'm trying to establish character, I try and find out where they live.\" — Denise Mina" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40d/denise-mina-10719_character_usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-cha_1505641.png" --- # Usually when I'm trying to establish character, I try and… ![“Usually when I'm trying to establish character, I try and find out where they live.” quote by Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40d/denise-mina-10719_character_usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-cha_1505641.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40d/denise-mina-10719_character_usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-cha_1505641.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40d/denise-mina-10719_character_usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-cha_1505641.png) > “Usually when I'm trying to establish character, I try and find out where they live.” [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a character involves learning about their environment, as place shapes identity and behavior. **In simple terms:** Place shapes identity. Key Takeaway Explore where people live. Themes character development environment identity Mood analytical curious Type literary instructional When to use this quote - writing - acting - research - worldbuilding Key Concepts sociology psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does a character’s home reveal? - How does environment influence choices? A Different Perspective Focusing only on location may miss internal motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-try-676353/) [Establish Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establish-character-1949442/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Establish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-establish-424468/) [Usually Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usually-trying-1759184/) ## Related quotes > [It's been a bit tricky trying to establish a 'designer' profile and not a designer-cum-girl-around-town.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-philo/it-s-been-a-bit-tricky-trying-to-establish-a-designer-profile-and-not/) [Phoebe Philo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-philo/) > [I'm usually trying to get back into the dream or analyzing the dream. And yeah, the days, most days begin like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-williams/i-m-usually-trying-to-get-back-into-the-dream-or-analyzing-the-dream/) [Saul Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-williams/) > [The lyrics are what I work on the hardest, but I'm not trying to make a perfectly clear message or anything like that. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-berninger/the-lyrics-are-what-i-work-on-the-hardest-but-i-m-not-trying-to-make/) [Matt Berninger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-berninger/) > [Usually I'm trying to work with people that I've worked with before, so we have a certain amount of know-how and what we're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-statham/usually-i-m-trying-to-work-with-people-that-i-ve-worked-with-before/) [Jason Statham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-statham/) > [All her life she had made her own mistakes and her own successes, both usually by trying what others said she could not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vonda-n-mcintyre/all-her-life-she-had-made-her-own-mistakes-and-her-own-successes-both/) [Vonda N. McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vonda-n-mcintyre/) > [I'm usually trying to react to what the actors are coming up with. And then the environment, and then the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-m-usually-trying-to-react-to-what-the-actors-are-coming-up-with-and/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [In a series, you have the luxury of time to establish the character and build a rhythm. In a TV movie, you've got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-penny/in-a-series-you-have-the-luxury-of-time-to-establish-the-character/) [Joe Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-penny/) > [In the digital space, writers and directors get time to build and establish a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasika-dugal/in-the-digital-space-writers-and-directors-get-time-to-build-and/) [Rasika Dugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasika-dugal/) > [With any television series - and it's something that is taken for granted with movies because you have the whole arc within two hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/with-any-television-series-and-it-s-something-that-is-taken-for/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [Whatever disgrace we may have deserved, it is almost always in our power to re-establish our character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/whatever-disgrace-we-may-have-deserved-it-is-almost-always-in-our/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [Before you are five and twenty you must establish a character that will serve you all your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cuthbert-collingwood-1st-baron-collingwood/before-you-are-five-and-twenty-you-must-establish-a-character-that/) [Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cuthbert-collingwood-1st-baron-collingwood/) > [Establish character - otherwise, it is difficult to connect with what is frightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/establish-character-otherwise-it-is-difficult-to-connect-with-what-is/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [A sentence is born into this world neither good nor bad, and that to establish its character is a question of the subtlest possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cusk/a-sentence-is-born-into-this-world-neither-good-nor-bad-and-that-to/) [Rachel Cusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cusk/) > [I supply a presence. There are never any long dialogue scenes to establish a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bronson/i-supply-a-presence-there-are-never-any-long-dialogue-scenes-to/) [Charles Bronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bronson/) > [It takes a while to establish a character. Richard Boone once told me he didn't really get the character in 'Have Gun - Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-graves/it-takes-a-while-to-establish-a-character-richard-boone-once-told-me/) [Peter Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-graves/) ## More by Denise Mina > [“He stopped at an intersection, panting, rubbing at the twinge in his hamstrings, looking around, though he knew no cars were coming in either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/he-stopped-at-an-intersection-panting-rubbing-at-the-twinge-in-his/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [Even if people do wrong, we're social animals, so what can we do about stopping them doing the same things in future? Saying people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/even-if-people-do-wrong-we-re-social-animals-so-what-can-we-do-about/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [Crime is a very hard genre to feminise. If you have a female protagonist she is going to be looking after her mum when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/crime-is-a-very-hard-genre-to-feminise-if-you-have-a-female/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [In the 'Garnethill' trilogy, people always forget that Maureen O'Donnell's dad was a journalist and she did art history at uni and her brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/in-the-garnethill-trilogy-people-always-forget-that-maureen-o-donnell/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [Comics don't work if the story is all in the text and the images are illustrative. It's hard to have enough faith in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/comics-don-t-work-if-the-story-is-all-in-the-text-and-the-images-are/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [“Bout a month ago. She came in Boxing Day but I put her out. She was begging people, not even tapping, but begging for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/bout-a-month-ago-she-came-in-boxing-day-but-i-put-her-out-she-was/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [None of us know what is going to sell or what people want to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/none-of-us-know-what-is-going-to-sell-or-what-people-want-to-read/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [In my heart I'm just a lucky waitress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/in-my-heart-i-m-just-a-lucky-waitress/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [I just got an honorary degree from Glasgow University, and I had to wear around very painful shoes so that I didn't laugh all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasgow-university-and-i-had-to/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [To have a very strong opinion all the time is corrosive to a person's intellect. It becomes your default position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/to-have-a-very-strong-opinion-all-the-time-is-corrosive-to-a-person-s/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [I'd read so much right-wing crime fiction where they find the evidence and shoot the bad guy - I thought there must be another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-d-read-so-much-right-wing-crime-fiction-where-they-find-the/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [I think the class divide is going to change. I think a lot more working class people are going to get published. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-think-the-class-divide-is-going-to-change-i-think-a-lot-more/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [“If Morrow worked with herself she'd try and sit a few desks away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/if-morrow-worked-with-herself-she-d-try-and-sit-a-few-desks-away/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [“Maureen didn’t know what to say so she told the truth. “You’re frightening me,” she shouted. Inness stopped still. “I didn’t mean to,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/maureen-didn-t-know-what-to-say-so-she-told-the-truth-you-re/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [I respond very well to rules. If there are certain parameters it's much easier to do something really good. Especially when readers know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-respond-very-well-to-rules-if-there-are-certain-parameters-it-s/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) [Explore all 64 Denise Mina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Usually when I'm trying to establish character, I try and find out where they live.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Denise Mina" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-character-i-try-and-find-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-character-i-try-and-find-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40d/denise-mina-10719_character_usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-cha_1505641.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40d/denise-mina-10719_character_usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-cha_1505641.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40d/denise-mina-10719_character_usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-cha_1505641.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Usually when I'm trying to establish character, I try and find out where they live.” — Denise Mina", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Denise Mina", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Usually when I'm trying to establish...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-character-i-try-and-find-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/usually-when-i-m-trying-to-establish-character-i-try-and-find-out/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```